Gauging device



Sept. 11,1945. w. ALLER 2,384,513

- v I GAUGING DEVICE Filed Aug. 28,1942 10 sheets-sheet 1 IN VENTOR M- \7',

ATTORNEY l0 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 28, 1942 INVENTOR M 34 $8M ATTORNEY Sept 11, 1945.

w. F. ALI ER GAUGING DEVICE Filed Aug. 28, 1942 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 W i am nutty,

Sept. 11, 1945. I w. F. ALLER 8 GAUGING DEVICE Filed Aug. 28, 1942 1o Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. "hr: 5' Gila/v Se pt. 11,1945. w. F. ALLER 2,384,518

GAUGING DEVICE Filed Aug. 28, 1942 10 Sheets-Sheet '5 Sept. 11, 1945. w. F. ALLER GAUGING DEVICE Filed Aug. 28, 1942 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR M JLCLMLA;

A'ITORNEY Sept. 11, 1945. w ALLER- 2,384,518

GAUGING DEVICE Filed Aug. 28, 1942 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR.

ZMWL an Sept. 11, 1945. w. F. ALLER GAUGING nfixilcE Filed Aug. 28, 1942 10 Sheets -Sheet a INVENTUR- 14/5 ":1: CLUZ Sept. 11,' 1945. I w, F, ALLER 2,384,518

GAUGING DEVICE Filed 1m 28, 1942 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 Patented Sept. 11, 1945 2,384,518 Genome nnvron Willis Fay Aller, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Shemeld Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a. corporation of Ohio Application August 28, 1942, Serial No. 456,513

8 Claims.

This invention relates to gauging apparatus.

Qne object of the invention is the provision of an automatic gauging apparatus in which articles to be gauged are successively moved in a carrier to a gauging station or to successive gauging stations and assorted according to size with a high degree ofgauging accuracy, dependability and speed of operation.

Another object is the provision of a gauging apparatus in which articles to be gauged are automatically positioned in a moving carrier, which carries the articles through successive gauging stations in which diflerent very accurate gauging operations are performed, and following each gauging station those articles are automatically ejected that fail to meet the required gauging test.

Another object is the provision of a gauging apparatus of the character mentioned and em hodying an automatic positive ejecting -means mounted on the article carrier adjacent each article thereon and automatically operated under the control of the gauging units Iby rotation of the carrier.

Another object is the provision of a gauging apparatus in which the supply of the articles, the

successive gauging operations and the ejection and grouping of the articles according to the results of thetests is entirely automatic and efi'ected in a dependable, accurate manner.

Another object resides in a gauging apparatus in which articles are automatically positioned in a carrier at a supply or loading station and are automatically ejected from the carrier before they reach the first gauging station if they are improperly positioned.

Another object is the provision of a gauging apparatus in which articles toflbe gauged are moved by a carrier, which rotates about a vertical axis, from a supply station to successive gauging stations and then ejected and received by a rotatable weighing mechanism arranged below the carrier and coaxial therewith.

Ether objects andadvantages oi the invention wilt be apparent from the following description, appended claims and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, in which the same reference characters have been applied to like parts, in the several views;

Egg. 1 is a-perspective view of a gauging apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the gauging apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a. horizontal section taken below the top of the structure on'the line 33 of Fig. 4.;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 3-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5+5 of 8. 3;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of a portion of Fig. 5, on the line 5-6 01' that figure:

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the end of one of the weighing arms and its associated cartridge stop;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a portion of the housing with the rotatable cartridge carrier removed;

Fig.9 is a side elevation of Fig. 8, with the end wall removed;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section on the line Ill-Ill of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of a portion of the rotatable cartridge carrier in-cartridge ejecting position; 4

i 12 is a vertical section on the line t2-l2 of Fig. 4, showing part of the loading mechanism;

Fig. 13- is a vertical elevation of a portion of the mechanism showing the cartridge supply to the weighing device;

Fig. 14 is a plan view, partly in horizontal section, showing the cartridge feed plunger;

Fig. 15 is a side elevation showing the gauge head and its associated parts at the first gauging station;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation showing the gauge head at the second gauging station;

' Fig. is a, detail view showing the gauging members of Fig. 16, and a portion of the cartridge engaged thereby.

Fig. 1'? is a side elevation showing the gauge head at the third gauging station;

Fig. 18 is a side elevation showing the gauge head at the fifth gauging station;

Fig. 19 is a side elevation showing the gauge head at the sixth gauging station;

Fig, 20 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical connections; and

Fig. 21 is a diagrammatic view showing the timing of the dliierent operations.

Referring more particularly to the drawing in which a preferred form of the inventionhas been illustrated as embodied in a gauging apparatus for simultaneously gauging several difierent dimensions of a series of workpieces such as cartridges or the like, as they are rotated,

step by step, in a-common carrier, the gauging apparatus comprises a suitable housing it, which carries a. rotatable carrier H adapted to receive a number of cartridges and move them sequentially into gauging positions, .where difierent dimensions of theworkpieces are gauged. ,As

herein. shown, the workpieces are in the form of cartridges, and consequently the carrier is.

ard, it is automatically ejected from the barrel in which it is held in the carrier, as the carrier rotates to the next gauging station. Those cartridges that conform to the requirements of the several gauging stations remain in the carrier and are ejected at a final station, as will be presently described. The cartridges that are ejected at this final station, having met the dimension requirements, then travel to a weighing device which automatically separates cartridges that are too light to meet the required weight specifications, from those that are sufficiently heavy.

The cartridges to be gauged are placed in a hopper l2 carried by the table l3 of the housing. They drop from this hopper, one at a time, from the space H (see Fig. 12) to a cartridge receivin groove in a slide block I! which is mounted for reciprocation on guides l6 arranged on the table. Fig. 1 shows the slide block in its retracted position ready to receive a cartridge. It then carries the cartridge out to a position in line with a barrel on the rotatable carrier, at the supply station of the carrier, and the rear end of the block will then cover the passage at the lower end of the hopper l2. As the slide block is moved back, it receives another cartridge from the space I! and subsequently supplies it to the rotatable carrier. At the end of the forward movement of the slide l it gives a rocking motion to a rock plate l8 which constitutes a movable lower portion of the chute. This rocking plate I8 is pivotally carried at l9 and has fixed to it an arm provided with a bolt 2|. The bolt 2| extends throughta slot 22 in an arm 23 which is pivoted to the slide at 24 so that as the slide moves forwardly to extended position it rocks the member I 8 to free the mass of cartridges in the hopper, so that one of the loosened cartridges will be sure to roll down into the space I1 and can then drop into the groove of the slide block if the slide block is below the space. The slide block is fixed to bar 26 which extends through a slot in the table l3. It is operated in one direction by a bell crank lever 26 pivotally supported at 2'! on a stationary part of the housing, one end of the lever having a reciprocatory movement under the action of a cam operated plunger 28 which is lifted at the right time in the sequence of operations by cam 29 on a. cam shaft 30. A spring 8! returns the slide block to retracted position, when the descent of the plunger 28 is permitted by the lower portion of the cam 29. The cam shaft 30 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is rotatably supported by suitable bearings 31 in the housing structure, below the table, and is driven by a gear 32 meshing with gear 83 on a power operated shaft 34. The latter is provided with a pulley wheel 35, connected by a suitable driving belt to a motor 36 which is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 20. As will be understood, one revolution of the cam shaft 30 produces one complete cycle of forward and return movement of the slide block l5.

One revolution of the shaft 30 also causes a forward and backward movement of another bell crank lever 38, by means of a cam 39 and a cam operated plunger 40. The upwardly extending arm (see Fig. 4) of the' lever 38 is connected to a plunger operating slide block 4| by means of a pivoted link connection, not shown. The relative is operated to cause axial travel of block 4| and plunger 42 so that the cartridge is pushed into the barrel or article receiver of the carrier which at that time is in position to receive it. There is a yielding connection between the plunger 42 and the slide block 4| although normally these two parts operate together without relative movement to supply the cartridge into a barrel of the "arrier so that the tapered end of the cartridge she .l is received in the correspondingly tapered portion 43 of one of the barrels 55 (see Fig. 10). In this position of the cartridge, the end of a normal bullet is slightly spaced from a stationary stop lug 45 mounted on the table l3 in alignment with the end of the barrel. If the cartrldge is too long from the tapered end of the cartridge shell to the end of the bullet or if the cartridge is too long from the tapered end of the shell to the outer end of the shell the plunger 42 will be stopped before it gets to the end of its normal stroke, while the forward movement of the slide block 4| continues. To permit this relative movement the end of the plunger 42 takes the form of a piston 46 (see Fig. 14) operating in a sleeve 44 which is slidably arranged in a tubular element 41 forming part of the slide block 4|. A spring 48, strong enough to apply a normal feeding force tothe cartridges, is arranged between the end of the piston 46 and the outer-end of the sleeve 44. The sleeve 44 is normally held against axial movement in the barrel by a spring-pressed detent 49 engaging an annular groove 50 in the sleeve. A spring 5| holds the detent in the groove under normal conditions while the cartridge is being fed into the carrier. However if the cartridge is too long from the tapered portion to the outer end of the cartridge, or if the bullet and is too long so that it abuts against the stop ing 45, the spring 5| can yield to permit the full stroke of the slide block 4| together with the ele-' ment 41. When this yielding 'movement of the detent occurs there is a relative rearward movement of the piston 46 and sleeve 44, causing the detent 49 to be cammed outwardly and thus press outwardly and move a blade 52 which depresses a button [53 of a-switch 54. This opens the switch to control the actuation of certain mechanism so that when the carrier rotates, moving counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 2, the cartridge will be automatically ejected and carried radially outwardly so that it will not travel on to the first gauging station.

The carrier H is rotatably mounted for movement on a vertical axis, being supported by a shaft 51 rotatably carried by anti-friction bearings 58. The lower bearing 58 is arranged in a bearing 59 forming part of the housing. A peripheral portion of the carrier supports a series of article receiving chambers or barrels 55 extending radially and uniformly spaced apart. As herein shown there are eight of these chambers or barrels, all of similar construction, thus providing eight stations one of which is the supply or loading station, followed by six different gauging stations, the eighth station being an ejection station where the cartridges that meet the required dimension measurements are ejected.

Arranged adjacent each of the article receiving chambers is an ejectionplunger 8|, in line with the axis of the chamber and adapted for outward movement from a normally retracted position. Each plunger ii is fixed to a slide block 62 which isv reciprocally mounted on guide ways 63 on the carrier II. A downwardly extending pin 84 on each of the slide blocks operates in a slot 65 of. a lever 66, supported for pivotal moveass gns ment on an axis 81 on the carrier. The lever as is provided with a surface 80 which is normally above the level of a stop dog 88 which is vertically movable in the table II from a retracted position to an extended position where it lies in the path of the surface 88. Since the dog 68 does not rotate with the carrier, when it is extended upwardly it causes the lever 88 to swing counter-clockwise, as thecarrier rotates counterclockwise, thus forcing the plunger 8| outwardly. This outward movement of the plunger 8| takes place after the carrier moves a cartridge from one station, and is completed before the barrel that held the cartridge reaches the next station. As previously mentioned, the dog 88 is normally retracted so that the plunger 6| does not move out. If, however, the gauging operation which takes place at any station fails to meet the required dimension standard of that station, the dog 58 that is associated with thatparticular gauging station is caused to automatically move upwardly so that the cartridge will be automatically ejected as it moves from the station where it has failed to meet the required standard. As will beunderstood, there is a lever 88 associated with each of the ejectingplungers, and a stop dog 68 for each of the eight different stations of the gauging apparatus. The stop dog 68 have been subjected in the carrier.

The carrier is moved in a step by step fashion by means of a Geneva mechanism (see Figs. 3,

4 and 5). The cam shaft 30 carries a gear 88 which meshes with a gear 8| fixed on a vertical shaft 92. The latter carries a pinion 83 which operates a large gear 84 fixed to a rotatable disk 85 which is thus rotated at a uniform speed. The disk 85 carries a series of weighing arms 88 which weigh the cartridges that have been supplied to them from the receiving hopper 18 after having met all the gauging tests to which they On the lower end of the shaft 82 is a. disk 88 provided with a pin I88 eccentric to the axis of the shaft 82 and adapted to operate in the eight slots I8l v of a Geneva disk I02 fixed on the lower end of which follows the seventh or unloading station is always extended so that all the cartridges that reach the seventh station are automatically elected as they move from that station, and are thrown into a hopper 50. Thus all of the cartridges entering the hopper ill have conformed to the requirements of the different stations of the carrier.

Immediately iollowing the first gauging station is a receiving compartment or hopper H which receives articles ejected because they fail to meet the dimension requirements: of the first gauging station, and similar hoppers l2, 13, 14,15 and 3% follow the second, third, fourth, fifth and sinth stations, thus segregating the diilerent cartridges in accordance with the tests they have failed to meet.

of the pluugers @i is shown in Fig. 11 in its extended position, the lever as having been swung outwardly and being iust ready to ride oi? oi the cooperating stop dog 88 as the carrier continues its counter-clockwise movement. in this position oi the lever so an arm or z w carrier at the point so at the other end of the spring also acts in ret the lever-as soon as the camming surface 69 rides ofiof a dog as, but the stud it produces a positive returning action in case the spring does not operate with sufilcient rapidity.

The dogs 38, Figs. 8, 9 and 10, are carried at the outer ends of lever arms 84 pivoted intermediate their ends at 85 and operated by links the shaft 51. As the shaft 82 rotates one revolution it thus turns the Geneva disk and the shaft 51 one-eighth of a revolution, moving a chamber or article receiving barrel of the carrier from one station to the next and then temporarily stopping it. The outer ends of the slots II are provided with tapered surfaces I83 which are engaged periodically at the stationary positions of the disk by a spring-pressed plunger I04, to yieldingly lock the Geneva disk in an exact position. A spring I05 back of the plunger I04 pushes the plunger radially inwardly when permitted to do so. However, an arm H08 of a bell crank lever m1 operated by a cam I08 on the shaft 92 presses the plunger "24 outwardly and compresses the spring I08 just before a rotational movement of the Geneva disk I8! is initiated, and then moves to permit the plunger 34 to move inwardly just before the next slot HM reaches a position in alignment with it.

The shells that are supplied to the hopper it travel down a chute ml which terminates in a horizontal passage ill, the lower end of which is closed by one of several arms N2 of a rotatable fee wheel Hi. This wheel H3 is periodically rotated counter-clockwise asyiewedin Fig. 13 to permit one cartridge at a time to fall on a tray 88-5 when a tray is below the feeding wheel H8. Each tray lit, as will be apparent, is carrier: at the outer end of its respective weighing arms as. At the time the cartridge falls on the tray, the tray is in a lowered position, held so by a roller lid and a cam HS (see Figs, 5 and 13) stationary on the fixed structure $9. The cam No is long enough to hold the inner end of the I weighing arm as in a raised position while the 238 which project down through a wall 81 of the arm is receiving the cartridge irom the supply hopper, and as the disk as rotates, the roller its rides ofi of the cam its and the arm 96 can then remain with the roller its elevated, if the cartridge is sumciently heavy to meet the required weighing test, or the inner end of the arm lid can descend and raise the cartridge, if the cartridse is too light, it being understood thatthe inner end of the arm as is sufllclently weighted so that the balancing ox the arm, when a cartridge is on the tray, gives the desired weighing action.

The periodic rotation of the wheel H3 is eiiected by a series of eight cams I28 on the pe riphery-of disk 98. The cams periodically operate a three-armed lever iii pivoted at 822 and connected by spring I28 to a secondlever I24 which is pivoted to the lever ill at I25. The levers Ill and I24 normally operate together. producing reciprocation of a slide block 628 which. has a pawl lever I21 pivoted to it.

The lever I21 operatesthe teeth or pins of the end of the wheel III. A spring-pressed detent lever I28 yieldingly holds the wheel at the end of a 90 rotational step. If a cartridge becomes jammed in the feeding wheel II3 the spring I23 'yields to permit a full stroke of the lever I2I without corresponding actuation of lever I24 and as this movement of lever I2I takes place it interrupts a circuit through a switch 201 because a stop screw I29 then depresses a switch operating blade I30. This opens the switch 201 and stops the operation of the driving motor, as will be presently described.

The cartridge carried by the arm 96 is rotated a part of a revolution until the cartridge reaches one of two discharge hoppers I3I and I32 (see Fig. 6). The first of these is for receiving the heavy cartridges, and the second is for receiving the cartridges that fail to meet the required weight standard. Adjacent the hopper I32 is a fixed arm I33 of sufldcient height to be engaged by the end of the cartridge, if the tray is elevated, and stop further rotation of the cartridge so that as the tray II moves on, the cartridge is held and drops into the hopper I32. A similar arm is provided adjacent the hopper I3I to stop rotational movement of the heavy cartridges, this arm being low enough to engage the cartridges of the tray is in its lowered position, the trays that are holding the light cartridges passing over the top of the arm without interference.

Just ahead of the hopper I3I, the outer end of the weighing arms, it the tray is depressed, en-

test if the cartridge is over-size or under-size in the particular dimension gauged by that augin device. On the end of the plunger I of this first gauging device is an end piece I44 which is contacted and operated by the end 01 the shell that reaches that station. As the cartridge moves into the first gauging station, the gauging head is heldin a retracted position so that the end of the shell will not press against the end piece I44 of the gauging plunger. The gauge head then automatically moves radially inwardly to a. norgage a suitable feeler to close an electric contact 219 (see Fig. 20) and operate a counter under the control of counter coil 280. This counts the .good cartridges that have met the required weight test.

The several gauges that are employed at the of sleeve 44 in the slide block as previously described. At the first gauging station the chamber depth of the shell is measured or compared with a cartridge of standard size. At the second gauging station the ejector groove diameter is checked. At the third station the percussion depth ischecked. At the'fourth station the head diameteris checked and at the fifth and sixth stations the over-all length and the head thickness are checked. The gauge heads employed at these several stations are preferably constructed in accordance with the prior patent of W. F.

Aller, No. 2,254,812, and as shown in Fig. 15 the gauging head I40 employed at the first gauging station embodies an operating plunger MI adapted for axial movement in the gauge housing. The gauge head is provided with two adjusting knobs I42 which control the normal position of over-size and under-size electric contacts, not shown, which are arranged at opposite sides of a movable pointer operated by a spring supported block as described in the patent mentioned. The adjusting knobs I42 can be set in accordance with a pair of cartridges or masters one of which is of a maximum acceptabl size and the other of a minimum acceptable size so that both contacts will remain in a normally closed condition, and then one or the other of these contacts may be opened by a cartridge undergoing mal gauging position. To permit this movement of the gauge head, the latter is supported by a pair of flexible spring blades I46 (see Fig. 15). The lower ends of these blades are fixed to a part I" stationary on the table I3. Only a limited travel of the gauge head i provided for, as the part I41 has a pair of upward extensions I48 with sufiicient space between them to permit movement of a lug I49 on the gauge head. A spring I50 in one of these extensions I46 urges the lug I49 towards the center of the carrier, but the gauge head is held out until after the cartridge has been stopped in gauging position, by a cam operated arm I5I engaging a lug I52 fixed on the gauge head. The arm I5I is controlled by a cam I63 (see Fig. 3) on the cam shaft 30. This cam operates a plunger I64 (as shown in Fig. 4), to move the lever I6I illustrated in Figs. 3 and 15.

Justbei'ore the cartridge is moved intosauging position at the first gauging station, the end of the shell is subjected to a predetermined yielding pressure by wiping over a spring-pressed plunger I56 (Fig. 2). The spring I51 which operates this plunger produces a predetermined force on the cartridge so that the several cartridges that move successively into the first gauging station will be uniformly seated against the tapered portion 43 or the diiferent barrels or receivers 01 the carrier.

Before th cartridge moves away from the first gauging station, following the first gauging operation, the cam I63 causes an outward movement or the gauge head "I40, to draw back the end piece I44. As the shell moves out of the first gauging station, the stop dog 66 of that gauging station is extended if the shell is either over-size or under-size, by energization of its respective solenoid 89 through a circuit closed in the gauging head. If the shell conforms to a desired size standard of shell length, then it is carried along to the next gauging station.

I At the second gauging station (Figs. 2 and 16) the gauge, head I 59 is provided to gauge the ejector groove diameter. The end of the cartridge passes between a pair of fingers I 60 and I6I, the upper gauging finger I60 being arranged on a block I62 carried by a pair of parallel spring blades I63 which are mounted at their other ends on an L-shaped bar I64. The lower end of this bar carries the gauging finger I8! and the gauge head IE9 is secured to the upper end of the bar. The bar I64 is mounted for vertical yielding movement on the stationary support I by means of a pair of parallel spring blades I86 so that the lower gauging finger IBI is yieldingly held against one side of the groove and the upper gauging finger I60 is yieldingly held against the upper side or the groove. The block I62 moves the operating plunger I61 of the gauge head in accordance with the relativedistance between the fingers I66 and IN. 1

At the third gauging station (see Figs. 2and 17), the gauge head I69 is positively moved radially outwardly by a lever I16 (see Fig. 3), controlled by a cam ill and a cam operated plunger H2 (Fig. 4), generally similar in construction to the operating mechanism of the gauge head of the first gauging station. This ,gauge head IE9 is provided with an operating plunger 3 having a gauging tip ll l that moves into engagement with the percussion cap, to measure the percussion depth, the end or the shell around the percussion cap engaging an abutment surface M5 on the spring held bar H6 that carries the gauge head.

At the fourth gauging station, the gauge head ilii is arranged in a generally similar manner to the gauge head the, but measures the head diameter.

At the fifth gauging station (see Figs. 2 and 18), the gauge head iBt gauges the length of the cartridge. This gauge head has an operating plunger lei provided with gauging end 532 which contacts the outer end of the shell. The gauge head ltd is fixed in position and is also pro vided with a stationary arm its which prevents the end of the shell, as the shell moves into gauging position, from pressing sideways on the ganging tip ltll. When the cartridge is in gauging position at this station, it is loosened from its tight engagement in the article holder or barrel by a cam m5 which is fixed on the table it] andwhich is so inclined as to cam the cartridge radially outwardly as the cartridge moves into gauging position, the cam surface E85 then holding the pointed end of the cartridge so as to locate the cartridge in a definite position with respect to the gauge head.

Following the fifth gauging station, the cartridges are brought to a gauge head #87 which measures the head thickness, that is the distance between the groove and the end of the shell. The end of the shell engages the gauging tip H88 on the end of gauging plunger ltd, while the groove of the cartridge is engaged by a pair of fixed gauging points are provided on the stationary block lQi which carries the gauge head. The fined gauging points it!) enter the groove in the shell and are arranged generally in the same manner as the locating pointsillustrated in Fig. l6.

Those cartridges that satisfactorily pass all or the gauging operations from the loading station to the sixth gauging station remain in the carrier as the carrier reaches the seventh station, while the rejections from the sixth station are thrown out into the hopper it. As the cartridges leave the seventh station all those reaching this station are thrown out into the hopper it, since the stop dog 68 for that seventh station is always in an elevated position.

The cartridges supplied to the several hoppers travel down on individual chutes and are thus supplied to individual receptacles or outlets some of which are shown on the side of the housing in Fig. 1 while others are located on the other sides of the housing. Those cartridges that go into the hopper it are then supplied to the weighing arms that have been previously described.

Fig. 20 taken in connection with Fig. 21 shows the electrical connections and the relative timing of the different operations. Current is supplied from a power source lilil, through a transformer 2M to a line 2%, and ii the manually operable starting switch 203 is closed a circuit is completed from .202 through wires 20%, 205 through a normally closed jogswitch 206, then through the'normally closed loading switch 54. through the normally closed scale loading switch 207, wire 20s and motor operating relay 209 which is energized to close the switch m and start the motor as in operation. A circuit is completed from the relay 20$ through return wire 2| 9. At the same time the motor isenergized a circuit is completed from line 204 to line 2H2 leading to a relay 2E3 which controls a brake switch 2M so that the brake is taken off. when a circuit is completed through the relay 2%, a holding circuit 2th is energized which maintains the motor control switch no closed even after the starting switch 283 is released. When the relay 2% closes the motor switch 200, it also completes a circuit through wire 202, switch 2'55, through lead 2W, switch lit, and wire tit, closed selection switch 22$ and wire 22d, energizing relay 222, the cur rent returning through wire 223 to the wire 29 i. Energization of the relay 222 closes a three pole switch 225 and thus connects the current supply to the several gauging heads, when the normally open switches 226 and 22? are closed. The ener .gization of the relay 222 also energizes the wire 226 which forms part of a holding circuit for the relay 222, to keep the switch 226 closed.

Normally the stop dog operating solenoid as associated with the loading station is de-energized, as the relay 236 associated with it is energized through wires 523i and 2H. This circuit is through 238, closed switch 56, jog switch 2%, wires 2% and 265, closed start switch are, closed stop switch 2%, wire 282 and across the power source to 2i i. if the relay 23@ is lie-energized because a cartridge that is too long has caused the switch 55 to open at the loading station, the circuit through the ejecting solenoid 89 will be closed and the cartridge will be ejected when it moves out or loading position. Opening of the switch fi l also causes de-energization of relay its, and the motor stops.

At the proper time in the sequence of operations, the switch 22% is automatically closed by a plunger 2% operating in a cam groove 235 on the side of 'cam ill, (Fig. 4) to supply current after the cartridges have reached their gauging positions and are stationary, to the several gauge heads. These gauge heads are not supplied with current during the time their contacts are being moved by the entrance of the cartridges into gauging position, and consequently circuits are not made and broken by the several gauge contacts, the current flow taking place under the control of the cam operated switch 226 as previously described. The switch 22? previously mentioned is also under control of a second calm groove in the cam ill, switch 226 being arranged in back of and adjacent to switch 227. The switch 227 is for he control oi current to the several solenoids that operate the stop dogs.

When the switch 226 closes, it completes a circuit from wire 238 through relay coil 23% and closes the switch 260 which is normally open. In parallel with the relay 23s there is a second relay 239a and a second switch 260a, these two switches supplying current to the several gauge heads. Thus circuits are closed by switches 2M and 266a through the several gauges Mil, Hi9, i

is supplied to the several solenoid circuits through the cam controlled switch 221. This solenoid 249 will thus remain tie-energized and the stop dog will not be projected.

Assume that at the second gauging station the cartridge checked is over-size. No circuit will be completed from the wire 250 through the contridge is under-size instead of over-size, the same result will be obtained.

As will be understood, the various solenoid coils 251, 258, 269 and 260 and their controlling relays of the third, fourth, filth and sixth gauging stations are similarly arranged with respect to their gauge heads as will be seen from the drawings, each gauge head thus controlling its own individual stop dog 68 according to whether or not the cartridge conforms to the desired dimension range that is permitted the pointer of any gauge before either of its pairs of contacts is opened.

A knob 262 for switch 220, adapted to be manually controlled, can close a normally open switch blade 263 and at the same time open the normally closed switch blade 264, this operation opening the holding circuit through the relay 222 and thus causing the switch 224 to open to prevent the flow of current to the switches 240 and 240a. Current. however, is supplied to the gauging devices with the switch blade 263 closed, through a wire 265 to energize the relays 266 of the several gauge devices and move the several switches 26! of these devices from the position shown in full lines so as to complete a circuit for each gauging head through a pair of lamps 269 and 210 one of which is red and the other green in color. Current then flows throughthe closed contacts 243, 244, 245 and 246 and the return wire 2" to the wire 212, energizing both of these lamps ii. both pairs of switch contacts are closed. The selection switch 262 is thus operated when setting up the gauges, using a standard size cartridge, the energization of the ejection dog-operating solenoids being prevented under these conditions so that the shell. will not be thrown out. If one or the other pairs of contacts 243, 244, 246 or 246 is open, with a standard size cartridge in place at the gauging station, either the green or the .red light will show, indicating whether or not an over-size or under-size conditionv exists,

and permitting the operator to manipulate the control knobs on the gauge head until both lights are energized. In this way the several gauging devices may be adjusted in conformity with the particular dimensions to be gauged, and

after the several adjustments have been made, the operator turns the selection switch 262 to close the switch blade 264 and open thelamp energizing circuit. I

To stop the operation of the machine. the operator opens a stop switch 216 and breaks the holding circuit leading to the switch 224. 211

designates a normally closed automatically operating switch controlled by the scale loading mechanism so that if the scale loading mechanism should jam this switch would be opened and thus interrupt the current flow to the motor controlling switch relay 263.

A normally open switch 219 is provided in a circuit across the secondary winding 01 the .tating said -carrierto advance articles transformer, for periodically energizing a coil 280 which controls the magnetic counter, the switch 219 being automatically operated by a weighing arm when in lowered position just before the arm reaches a position where the cartridge it carries is pushed off of the carrying tray.

In Fig. 21, the line A indicates the action of the loading cam operating the plunger 43, A--l showing the spring return action, A-2 the stationary position, and A-3 the movement when the shell is being inserted. Line B indicates the timing of the reed cam by which the feed block [5 is controlled, 3-! indicating the spring return and B2 the motion from the hopper into supply position. Curve C shows the action or the first gauge head I40 at the first gauging station. At CI the gauge head is held out, at 0-2 the spring returns it inwardly and at 0-3 the gauge is in gauging position. Curve D shows the movement of the third gauge head I69. Curve E shows the timing of the cam operated switch 226 and Curve F shows the timing of the switch 221 which controls the flow of electricity to the dog operating solenoids. Curve G shows the action of the Geneva plate I02 which indexes the rotatable carrier, one full revolution of the cam shaft causing one step movement of 45 of the carrier. Curve H shows the movement of an ejector dog, the part H-l showing the spring return action while the portion H-2 shows the positive action of plunger 8| under the control of the positively acting camming lugs 18. Curve I shows the motion of the Geneva locking cam, operating plunger I04, which locates the carrier. Curve J shows the scale loading action of the wheel I I3. Curve K shows the scale unloading action by finger i33' for cartridges of suillcient weight.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may he made therein without departing from the scope or the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. Gauging apparatus of the character described comprising a support, a carrier rotatably mounted on said support and having a series of radially extending annularly spaced article receivers, means for intermittently rotating the carrier about a vertical axis to advance articles carried thereby from a supply station through successive gauging stations, means for supplying articles in a direction radially of the carrier axis into said receivers, a gauge holder at one of theblades attached to said holder and said unit andsupporting the. unit for yielding movement towards and from the carrier, means for automatically positively moving said gauge unit radially away from the carrier in time with the step-bystep movements of the carrier, and for releasing the gauge unit for free support on said. spring blades after an article is in gauging position, and means controlled by the said gauge unit for positively moving the article gauged radially out of the carrier if it fails to meet a required standard.

2. Gauging apparatus of the character described comprising a. support, a carrier rotatably mounted On said support for movement about a vertical axis and having a series of article receiving chambers, means for intermittently ro- I placed therein from a supply station through a series of gauging stations, a gauge unit on said support at each of the gauging stations, means controlled by said gauge units for causing ejection of articles from the carrier that fail to meet the gauging test, means for ejecting the articles remaining in the carrier after all the gauging tests, a rotatable weighing apparatus coaxial with said carrier and below the carrier for receiving and weighing articles ejected from the carrier by said last named means, and means for rotating said weighing apparatus in timed relation with said carrier.

3. Gauging apparatus of the character described comprising a support, a carrier rotatably mounted on said support for movement about a vertical axis and having a series of article receiving chambers, means for intermittently rotating said carrier to advance articles placed therein from a supply station through a gauging station, a gauge unit on said support at the gauging station, means for causing ejectionof articles from the carrier, a rotatable weighing apparatus coaxial with said carrier and below the carrier for receiving and weighing articles ejected from the carrier by said last named means, and means for continuously rotating said weighing apparatus at a uniform speed in timed relation to the operation of said carrier.

4. Gauging apparatus of the character described comprising a support, a carrier operably mounted on said support and having a series of regularly spaced article. receivers, means for intermittently operating the carrier to advance articles carried thereby from a supply station through successive gauging stations, means for supplying elongated articles successively into a position aligned with the supply station, supply means applying articles to said receivers, gauging means at the gauging stations, a fixed stop independent of said article receivers and located adjacent the supply station against which overlength articles abut when supplied to the carrier, and means including an electric switch controlled by said supply means for automatically controlling the ejection of an article which projects from the carrier beyond a, predetermined limit, when the article is moved from the supply station.

5. Gauging apparatus of the character described comprising a support, a carrier rotatably mounted on said support and having a series of annularly spaced article receivers, means for intermittently rotating the carrier to advance articles carried thereby from a supply station through gauging stations, means for supplying articles successively into a position aligned with the supply station, a feed plunger for successively pushing the articles into said receivers, gauging through successive gauging stations, means for supplying elongated articles successively into a p sition aligned with the supply station, a feed plunger for successively applying the articles to said receivers, gauging means at the gauging stations, telescope means including an electric switchfor operating said feed plunger, and electrically operated means controlled by said switch for automatically controlling the ejection of an article which projects from the carrier beyond a predetermined limit as the article is moved from the supply. station and before it reaches the first gauging station.

7. Gauging apparatus of the character. described comprising a support, a carrier rotatably mounted on said support and having a series of annularly space article receivers, means for intermittently rotating the carrier step-'by-step to tation through for supplyin advance articles from a supply successive gauging stations, mea

articles to the .carrier at said supply station,

gauge units at the gauging stations, means controlled by said gauge units for ejecting from the carrier those articles that fail to meet a required standard, means causing the ejection of the articles that meet the required standards of all of said gauge units, a rotatable member co-axial with said carrier and having annularly spaced weighing arms for successively receiving the articles ejected from said last named means, means for rotating said member in timed relation to said first carrier, said weighing arms being adapted to carry an article in an elevated or lowered position according to the weight of the article, means for positively controlling the height of said arms when they reach a predetermined point in the rotation of said member, stop means adapted to be successively engaged by articles on said arms when in a lowered position, and stop means adapted to be successively engaged by the articles on said arms when in a raised position.

8. Gauging apparatus of the character described comprising a support, a carrier rotatably mounted on said support and having a series of annularly spaced article receivers, Geneva means for-intermittently rotating the carrier step-bystep to advance articles from a supply station through successive gauging stations, means for means at the gauging stations, drive means for operating said feed plunger, sai drive means having a yielding connection with said feed plunger to normally operate therewith but movable relatively to said feed plunger when the latter is held against movement, switch means operated upon yielding movement of said-drive means with respect to said feed plunger, and means controlled by said switch means for automatically controlling the ejection of an article which projects from the carrier beyond a predetermined limit.

6. Gauging apparatus of the character described comprising a support, a carrienoperably supplying articles to the carrier at said supply station, gauge units at the gauging stations, means controlled by said gauge units for ejecting from the carrier those articles that fail to meet a required standard, the articles that meet the required standards of all of said gauge units, a rotatable member coaxial with said carrier and having annularly spaced weighing arms for successively receiving the articles ejected from said last named means, a drive member for said Geneva means, means operable by said drive member for continuously rotating said rotatable member, said weighing arms being adapted to carry an article in an elevated or lowered position according to the weight of the article, means for positively controlling the height of said. arms when they reach a predetermined point in the rotation of said member, stop means adapted to be successively engaged by articles on said arms when in a lowered position, and stop means adapted to be successively engaged by the articles on said arms when in'a raised'position.

I WILKES FAY ALLER.

means causing the ejection of 

